She tried to stop him, but Pitch cut her hair. She sneered when he had them folded up into cloth napkins and sent out with letters. She watched the messengers leave, until darkness swallowed them up and she couldn't see them any longer. Then she turned back to Pitch. He seemed to be contemplating what sort of tool to use next. Several knives sat on the table, and it took all she had not to quake at the thought of them being turned on her.

"What was that all about?" she demanded.

"Just assuring them I have their little blue bird."

Aqua made a face. She wasn't their anything. And the idea of him comparing her to a bird sat ill in the pit of her stomach. Pitch reminded her of a cat, one that like to play with its food. She may as well as have been the bird he had been talking about. He would toy with her, giving her hope of escape, or an end to pain, only to start it up again. Until she was broken. Just like he had warned his goons not to do to her too soon.

"Listen, I worked for them once and never again," she tried to reason.

She hoped she didn't sound desperate. But really, she had only kept seeing Jack because of their deal. She hadn't meant to fall for him. Though, it didn't seem like Pitch believed her. Not that she blamed him, entirely. She had spent a lot of time around someone who was supposed to mean 'nothing' to Jack. She should have known that they had been spied on. They had gone out in public quite a few times. Jack made no attempts to hide himself. She doubted he even knew what subtle meant.

"That alone should be reason to kill you," Pitch replied with that dark airy smile on his face.

He said it so simply. As if he were discussing the weather. Aqua knew he would do it too. It was only a matter of when. He seemed like a cat that liked to play with the mouse that it had cornered. Or in this case - bird - since he seemed to think she was some little blue bird that would sing for him. Pitch picked up a sharp blade that was at least four inches long. The very dim light of the room glinted off the steel. She didn't have to be a nurse to know that was as sharp as any scalpel in their surgery wing. He could cut through her like butter.

"Why are you doing this?"

"You see, fear is what keeps people in line. Without fear, life would be so boring," Pitch said. "And you should fear me."

She wanted to protest that she was afraid of him. The same way she had been afraid of Jack, but Jack and the Guardians had never struck her. They had never caused her pain. Just headaches and stress. Really, that had only been Jack. The other Guardians had nothing to do with her after she helped save Jack. Or rather, they viewed her as Jack's and did not interfere. This man, unlike the Guardians, would kill her.

"You're going to tell me everything that I want to know about Jack Frost."

Aqua couldn't stop the way she began to tremble as he approached.

Jack was seething when he arrived at the Guardian's hideout. With his car parked haphazardly out front, he all but left it idling as he burst in through the doors. Fire burned in him, which was strange even for him, because he was a man of cold indifference. For once in his life, Jack was afraid, not for himself but Aqua. She was not strong enough to endure the things that Pitch would torment her with. He could only imagine how scared she was. Even worse was his thoughts of what Pitch was doing to her.

The Guardians were already gathered, much to his surprised. With Manny at the head of the table, his hands steepled together as though he were in deep thought. A piece of paper was spread out on the table. Along with another lock of blue hair. Jack's steps faltered when he saw the hair. Clearly, they knew what was happening. Pitch must have sent out multiple messengers in case Jack was not where he usually hung out at.

"I need -"

"Pitch already sent us a message mate. He took yer nurse hostage…" Bunny said. "And he wants us ta pay ransom."

The room fell silent and all eyes turned to Jack. He recalled the look on her face when he had kissed her on the dance floor. Or the smile she gave him when he said something funny. Or the way she had apologized for treating him so coldly, promising to get to know him better. The warmth of her hand when she held his. Her shy, tentative looks. Her inability to accept gifts from others, thinking she was unworthy.

This was exactly what she feared.

Getting hurt because she was involved with the wrong sort of guy was something she had desperately tried to avoid. Jack's persistence had worn her down. He knew that she genuinely liked spending time around him now. She wanted to get to know him better. Jack's messenger hadn't even gotten to the part about ransom because Jack had been more focused on getting Aqua's location.

"What about my siblings?"

Manny waved a hand. "At one of the safe houses with a nanny."

Jack gave a slow exhale. That was at least something he didn't have to worry about. His younger siblings were prime targets for his enemies to take advantage of. They had a protocol in place to protect them as the Guardians were just as fond of Jack's siblings as Jack himself. He even considered the Guardians his family. If anything were to happen to him, the Guardians would step in as caretakers for his siblings. The children would never want for anything.

"I can't just leave her…"

"But she's been nothin' but trouble!" Tooth protested.

Jack grimaced. He knew the other Guardians disapproved of his flirtations with Aqua. They thought he was insane for chasing someone who was clearly uninterested. Only, she had stopped being uninterested. She had opened up, slowly revealing things, like how she couldn't afford much in groceries and that money was always on her mind because she never had enough to pay for everything that needed paying. Or how her roommates were the only family she had left. He had done some digging on his own about her, finding out her parents were dead. She was left with debts and a dream to get out of the violent city.

She never would have been in this situation if not for him. His selfish desire to get to know the nurse who had been so firm with her patient.

"Manny, please," Jack pleaded. "Pitch grabbed her because of me."

Manny inhaled slowly, taking in his fellow Guardians. North and Bunny were always down for a fight, especially when it would get underneath Pitch Black's skin. No one quite knew what Sandy's past with Pitch was, but it was complicated. Not helped by the fact that Sandy wouldn't talk about it.

Jack was fully prepared to beg Manny for his help. He hadn't asked the man for anything in a very long time. Not since he had been given a place to live with his siblings. He followed every order without question. He would take any job that Manny gave him, no matter how dangerous or how much it sullied his hands. Or demeaned him to make this happen.

"If we do this," Manny said, "None of Pitch or his Nightmares escape."

Jack tried to contain his joy. With that, the guardians set to work. The Guardians were going to war against Pitch and his Nightmares once and for all. After all, Pitch couldn't be allowed to take what was under their protection and get away with it. Especially what was Jack's. North was delighted. It meant he got to play with his Gatling gun.

However, this meant it wasn't just a rescue mission. It was an extermination.

It wasn't a secret where Pitch had taken Aqua. Or rather, it wasn't a secret now that Jack and the Guardians 'persuaded' them to give up the information and be forthcoming with Pitch's intentions. And - with Manny's blessing - they were let off leash so to speak. Meaning anything went when recovering their asset - Aqua. Aqua belonged to the Guardians from the moment they snatched her off the streets and she treated Jack. By helping him, even though her life did hang in the balance, she became one of their people. No one hurt their people and got away with it.

Not even Pitch.

"Ya sure the dame is worth it?" Bunny asked.

"I can't leave her, Bunny. This is exactly what she was afraid of happening."

Yes, she should have known it was a danger to associate with him and that any deal came with strings like this but Jack's guilt was eating at him. He distracted himself by working on his double action colt revolvers and his submachine gun. Sandy was armed with a long rifle and a scope. Their silent and deadly sniper. North favored his gatling gun until he got up close and personal. In which he would crush a man's head with his bare hands like a melon. Tooth had her pistols and was armed to the teeth with needle like knives once her ammo ran out. And Bunny used strange weapons from his home like a machete, a boomerang and coupled it with his Winchester rifle. Needless to say, they made a formidable (and intimidating) force.

"She won't wanna be 'round ya anymore if she survives," Bunny said.

Jack nodded. He was well aware and resigned to that fate. However, as long as she survived, he was certain he could endure the complete rejection afterwards. He made a deal. He would honor it regardless of how she saw him now. In fact, she had every right to hate him. She had placed her trust in him to keep her safe. It stung his pride to know how greatly he failed her.

"Jack doesn't need her," Tooth said, "She might even have let herself get caught."

The idea that Aqua would willingly go along with Pitch was laughable. Tooth didn't know Aqua the way that Jack did. She didn't realize just how ridiculous that sounded. Doing something intentionally malicious (or dangerous) was not in her nature. But it made him stop to think.

"Can we get a runner to swing by her apartment to check on her roommates?" he asked.

"Why?"

"She might have gone with him willingly if he had her roommates hostage. They're her family."

Tooth's hostile expression softened. If anyone understood the lengths people would go to for family, it was Tooth. She was the one who had the largest extended family in all of the Guardians. All orphans and the cast offs of society. She took care of them all as if they were her own.

"I'll have a birdie stop by."

A sharp whistle sent a small shadow scurrying away. Tooth's children often followed her where she went. They only stayed hidden when things were about to get dangerous. Tooth would never let them step foot onto a killing ground like this one. As Pitch had all but declared a massacre on his own gang. Otherwise, the children were her extended eyes and ears. They would check for her.

"Thank you," Jack said.

"Your new girl is making you soft, Jack," Tooth teased. "You've said 'thank you' more tonight than you've said all year."

"Shut up," he groused.

He was smiling, despite his complaints. Tooth ruffled his hair, earning a playful shove back. He knew she was trying to help cheer him up, but if things didn't go well and Aqua was already gone, he wasn't sure if banter would be enough to bring him back. It certainly wouldn't bring Aqua back.

"Hey, Sandy, go get into position," Jack recommended, "We'll have to be in position and move quickly."

Sandy gave a thumbs up and grabbed his gun. North gave him a boost up the fire escape. The small man disappeared quickly. Jack held his breath as he moved to his attack position. He silently hoped Aqua could endure whatever Pitch threw at her until he got there.

Aqua trembled and shivered. The demonic mafia boss had been taking his time with her. He had even sent away his goons so he had her all to himself. Small, shallow cuts lacerated her skin. Only a thin line of blood trickled from each one, but they burned and ached every time she moved. He enjoyed watching her squirm under his blade as he cut her. Like a child dissecting a frog or cutting wings off of butterflies.

She was sorry to say she openly wept. She hadn't wanted to give him that satisfaction of seeing her break down, cry or scream. There was only so much she could fight against as the pain was excruciating. At this point, she was just glad she hadn't resorted to begging for her life. Because there was no information she could offer Pitch regarding Jack's personal life. The names of his siblings perhaps, but she would rather die than get children involved with this literal boogeyman.

"Now… what should we do next?" Pitch inquired casually. "You have such lovely eyes. Perhaps I'll pluck them out."

Her blood ran cold. Yes, he had sliced her up like a child playing with food, but he hadn't removed anything except for a small lock of hair. She considered for half a second begging him not to. Only doing so would probably encourage him to do it and make it agonizing. Saying nothing wasn't in her favor either. He wasn't about to let this go without a response from her. He would also take it as brokenness and apathy for her fate. If she gave up, she realized she would be boring for him and he would likely kill her faster.

"Go…" she said with some difficulty. "To Hell."

Let her die angry and spiteful. Perhaps her vengeful ghost would make his life miserable in the afterlife. She would haunt him to the ends of his days and then make his afterlife just as miserable (if she could). She could only hope to be so lucky as to enact revenge on him. Pitch laughed richly, as if she told the best of jokes, before he seized her by the face and brought the knife up.

"Perhaps your tongue then?" he replied.

Aqua struggled to pull back as the knife loomed closer and closer. He was squeezing her face so hard that her own teeth cut into her cheek. The taste of blood saturated her senses. Still, her eyes focused on that knife. She knew what it could do and of Pitch's deliberate light cuts. Taking her tongue would not be a 'light' procedure.

"Sir!"

A goon burst into the room. He looked positively petrified but the moment he came inside, he looked torn over what was the greater threat - whatever was outside or his boss. Who was leaning over Aqua with the knife in hand. But at least when the guard came in, his hand stopped moving and remained steady.

"What?" Pitch snarled.

Aqua sighed in relief as the knife moved away from her face. The knife was wiped off on her blood-soaked shirt and put away. For now. She had a dark suspicion it would come back out, either to be used on her again, or the guard who interrupted his disturbing 'playtime'. Thankfully, he had only resorted to cutting her. There were far worse things he could have done to get his point across.

"It- It's - they - the Guardians!"

Aqua's head jerked up. Thankfully, Pitch had let her go. The Guardians? Had they come to save her after all? Sure, Jack had promised to keep her safe, but she had thought the moment she got in danger, he would wash his hands of her. She felt tears prickle her eyes. Hope that she might actually get out of this alive bloomed in her heart. She wasn't even sure how she could cry after all this. She had cried so much already.

"What about them?"

Pitch's tone promised only horrible things to come for either the guard who warned him, for Aqua or for the Guardians. Perhaps all of them. The sociopath standing in the room was frightening. A danger to anyone involved.

"They're here! They're killing all our men, sir!"

Pitch crossed the room and seized his own goon by the throat. In an impressive display of unadulterated strength, the man was lifted by the neck off the ground. The man dangled helplessly in Pitch's grip. His feet flailing and kicking to find solid purchase. Aqua trembled, thankful he had not begun to beat her with that strength of his.

"Gather all of our men and do something about it," Pitch hissed. "Or I'll teach you the true meaning of fear."

With that, the man was unceremoniously tossed to the ground, like a discarded toy. The goon scrambled back, like a puppy afraid of being kicked when it was down. Aqua might have felt sorry for him, if he hadn't worked for Pitch. Or if he hadn't abandoned her there by scurrying away to either do as he was told or to escape Pitch. And the dark Mafia Boss rounded on her with venom in his amber eyes.

"Not valuable indeed."

She swallowed anxiously. So much for her protests that Jack wouldn't come for her. He removed the knife once more. Despite it being cleaned on her bloodied clothes, it practically glistened in the little light the room had to offer. The look in Pitch's eyes was positively manic. He began to cross the room, brandishing the knife.

"No! Don't!"

This was it.

He was going to kill her.

Because he wanted to hurt Jack by hurting her. She tried to hop back. The chair she was in toppled over. Pitch followed her with the knife raised. There was a loud snap as one of the chair legs gave way. With her now free leg, she lashed out, trying to keep him back. Anything to buy herself some time. But in lashing out at him, he cut at her leg, long, deep cuts formed on her shin and thigh. Still, she kept struggling against her bonds.

"Jack!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Jack! I'm here!"

"Shut up you stupid girl!"

"Jack!"

Now Aqua could hear the sound of gunfire and thunderous steps. She could only hope to fight Pitch off as he swung the knife wildly at her.

"Jack!"

Pitch pinned her leg and straddled her, effectively trapping her. The knife plunged down towards her heart. There was a loud crash. Then a bang. The knife fell to the ground with a clatter. Both she and Pitch looked up. Jack stood in the doorway with a gun in his hands. He clearly shot the knife out of Pitch's hand.

The look of him made Aqua shudder. His entire being was coated in blood that she had a good feeling wasn't his. His eyes were dark, dangerous, and feral. He offered a smile but it was nothing like his good natured attempts to charm her. This one was down right malevolent.

"When I imagined you calling my name like that," Jack said, "This isn't what I expected."

His jovial tone didn't sit right. It spoke of anger, of rage and downright venom. Pitch lunged for Aqua before he gripped her by the neck and hauled her in front of him, like a human shield. She gasped in agony as her wounds were jostled. A choked cry left her throat when Pitch squeezed as if to silence her.

"Let her go, Pitch."

"You declared war on me!" Pitch snarled. "Killing her would be a recompense for killing my men."

"We wouldn't have had to kill your men if you hadn't taken her. Manny's orders. Don't hit first," Jack said, "Always hit back."

Another shot rang out. This time Pitch fell back. Jack had shot him in the shoulder, barely nicking Aqua as he did so. Still, Pitch howled and let her go. She fell to the ground in a tangle of body, chair and rope. Jack immediately stepped up next to her before kneeling. His gun was trained on Pitch the entire time. Aqua heard more footsteps and the other Guardians made it into the room.

"Jack…" she whispered.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She considered lying. Considered being tough in front of the Guardians. After the fight she just had for her life, she knew she couldn't. She trembled, shook and bled all over the floor. She wanted to leave this awful place immediately.

"No."

She felt tears prickle her eyes. She would have thrown herself into his arms had she been free from the ropes and the chair.

"We'll watch 'im," the tallest of the Guardians said.

Aqua was pretty sure his name was Bunny or something like that. The thought immediately left her mind when Jack looked at her. Once he was sure his companions surrounded Pitch, he set his gown down and then he removed his outer jacket, revealing a clean pressed white shirt underneath. He pulled out a knife of his own. She tried not to flinch when he cut her bindings. When freed, she threw her arms around him, trying not to sob outright from the relief of it all.

"I thought… I thought…"

"I know," he said gently. "You're okay. You're safe now."

He held her close, carding a hand through her hair. She didn't even care that the Guardians or Pitch were watching. She had thought she was going to die. Jack was all but a white knight in bloody dress clothes at this point. Not the knight she had expected herself ever needing in her life.

"You came…"

"I promised I'd keep you safe," he told her.

He pulled back and began looking her over. His expression darkened when he saw the cuts and the stab wounds on her being. When his fingers brushed against one of the cuts, she hissed in pain. Jack stood, regarding her with an incredible fury. Instead of being cowed by it, she knew it wasn't directed at her.

"Can someone take Aqua outside?" Jack asked. "Pitch and I need to have a word."

The same way Aqua knew Pitch had wanted her dead, she knew that Jack was going to kill Pitch. There wasn't an ounce of doubt in her mind that Jack was going to kill him. Guilt prickled her when she realized she wasn't protesting the death of another human being. Only, she hadn't protested the Guardians killing the rest of Pitch's men either. She wanted Pitch to feel the pain she felt. He deserved it.

North exchanged looks with the other Guardians before he stepped forward. He picked her up much like a child carries their child to bed, gingerly, being mindful of her wounds. When he stepped out of the room, the door closed behind him. Aqua closed her eyes. She knew they were going to do something horrendous to PItch. She didn't want to imagine what. Looking down the hallway, she knew she would get undesired inspiration. After all, the guardians had killed a lot of people.

"We will get you to doctor," North said.

"Thank you," she whispered.

She felt like a child, small, insecure and fragile. Part of her wanted to beg not to be left alone. Being alone was how she got caught in the first place. She knew if she asked, Jack would have stayed with her but his rage would not have subsided. So she let him go and let North take her to get treatment.